Monday, May 25, 2015

The PLA Digest - April 2015

U.S. Speculation on China’s ASAT Missile Exposed U.S. Combat System's Fatal Flaw
Source: People’s Daily
Date: March, 27, 2015 The People’s Daily reported a CCTV interview of Chinese military experts who commented on U.S. officials’ public statements on China’s anti-satellite missiles. The report said, “On March 25, U.S. media stated that there are two Chinese anti-satellite missiles that can hit satellites that are in high orbits. Cecil Haney, the Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, said that, in future conflicts, the United States needs to be prepared for satellite attacks. The U.S. media also pointed out that with 12 Chinese anti-satellite missiles, there could be a severe limit to the U.S. military's long-range operations, such as its defense of Taiwan, Japan, and Korea.”
“Military expert Du Wenlong responded, during an interview with CCTV, that the U.S. amplifies the China threat, in order to find excuses to finance more funds to develop its strategic advantage in space. At the same time, the U.S.' remarks also exposed a fatal flaw in the American combat system. If the U.S. military reconnaissance and early warning system fails completely, its combat capabilities may return to the ‘Stone Age'." China orders military to keep barracks simple, guard against excess
Source: South China Morning Post
Date: March, 31, 2015
China ordered its military to build barracks as simply and economically as possible and avoid using ostentatious or imported building materials, as part of a broader crackdown on graft and excess.
China’s armed forces, the world’s largest, have become a focus of President Xi Jinping’s campaign to root out deeply-ingrained graft including bribery, which often takes the form of lavish gifts to officials or extravagant spending of government funds.
The guidelines on construction were in line with demands for the military to be thrifty and 'guard against luxury', the Defence Ministry said in an update to building rules carried on its website.
Colours used should be sober, plain and uniform, and new barracks must be well-connected to the Internet and be energy efficient, it said.
“Materials used should be economical, last a long time, look good and be useable,” the ministry said. “High-end materials and luxurious construction is banned; put priority on using Chinese products, and high-end products from abroad are banned.”
The anti-graft drive in the military comes as Xi steps up efforts to modernise forces that are projecting power across the disputed waters of the East and
South China Seas, though China has not fought a war in decades.

Day-night drill conducted in Xinjiang

Source: Xinhua
Date: March 31, 2015
Photo taken on March 30, 2015 shows helicopters formation flying at night during a drill in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. An army aviation brigade under the Xinjiang Military area command of the Chinese PLA conducted a day-night drill under actual combat condition.

PLA Air Force conducts first training stint in West Pacific
Source: Global Times
Date: March 31, 2015
The PLAF conducted its first military training above the West Pacific Ocean.
"The training was held to promote the air force's combat capability," Shen Jinke, spokesman of the PLA Air Force, said in South China's Guangzhou Province.
Warplanes flew to the West Pacific on Monday for training through the Bashi Channel, an international waterway linking the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and returned the same day after completing the training and achieved their goal, according to Shen.
Shen added that the military training is part of the annual plan for the PLA Air Force and also a requirement of China's national defense development.

US ‘targeting China’ in seeking more active role for Japanese navy in Pacific
Source: South China Morning Post
Date April 2, 2015
The United States is hoping that Japan can quickly free up its navy to play a more active role in the Pacific, an appeal echoing its recent efforts to encourage the navies of Southeast Asian countries to unite and patrol the disputed South China Sea, where China has increasingly flexed its military muscle.
Vice-Admiral Robert Thomas, commander of the US Seventh Fleet, said that he expected revisions headed for approval in Japan's parliament would make it easier for the Japanese and US navies to cooperate more smoothly in the Indian and Pacific oceans and in "multilateral exercises across the region".
Japan, America's closest ally in Asia, has already shifted its defence priorities from its northern reaches near Russia to the East China Sea, where Tokyo and Beijing are locked in a dispute over a chain of uninhabited islands.
Analysts said China's military expansion in recent years, especially around sensitive waters in the South and East China seas, had not only unnerved Japan, but also the US, as was evident in a series of patrols and joint drills in those areas to warn Beijing against any military action.

China, France agree on boosting naval cooperation Source: China Military Online
Date: April 3, 2015
Senior Chinese and French military officials have reached a consensus in Beijing on enhancing cooperation in exchange of ship visits, joint drilling and countering terrorism at sea.
Gen. Fang Fenghui, chief of general staff of the Chinese PLA, met with Admiral Bernard Rogel, chief of staff of the French Navy, in Beijing on April 3, 2015.
Gen. Fang made positive comments on the smooth development of the Sino-French military relations, saying that along with the healthy development of the bilateral ties, the relations between the Chinese and French militaries have showed the good momentum of development, especially the two navies have carried out communications of multi-professions in various forms by taking the opportunity of exchange of ship visits.
China is willing to strengthen cooperation with France in the fields of exchange of port calls by naval ships, joint drilling and training and anti-piracy actions, Gen. Fang said.
Admiral Bernard Rogel said the rapid development of Chinese Navy's armaments and the excellent personnel quality left a deep impression on him during his visit to China.

Pakistan likely to buy China’s Z10 helicopters
Source: The Nation (Pakistan)
Date: January 03, 2015
Pakistan’s closest friend China is expected to give another gift this year, in shape of their famous helicopter Z10. According to reports, three Z10 helicopters are expected to be included in Pakistan Army aviation fleet, which will be helpful in cleaning the terrorism in the county.
Pakistan showed interest in purchasing Z10 helicopters, sources said. The helicopter is capable of targeting the enemy with a range of 3 to 4 kilometers without coming in reader. It is also capable of targeting in the air as well as on ground from air.
With the induction of Z10, Pakistan Army’s capability of targeting the terrorists will increase. Pakistan is already using the helicopters effectively in the war against terrorism.

PLA's J-11 fighters carrying missiles in drill
Source: People's Daily Online
Date: April 02, 2015
In this photo taken on March 29, 2015, J-11 fighter jets carrying missiles join an actual combat drill conducted by a division under the Air Force of the Chengdu Military Area Command (MAC) of the Chinese PLA.

China, Pakistan to Sign Largest Military Contract: Reports
Source: CRI Online
Date: April 03, 2015It's been reported that the Pakistan government has approved a deal concerning the purchase of 8 submarines worth around 5 billion US dollars from China, Financial Times reported.
It will be the largest military trade contract between the two countries and also China's largest arms exporting deal if successfully implemented.
These submarines will fill in a strategic gap for the Pakistan military, according to a former Pakistan high-profile navy commander.

PLA wants Party organs to help improve combat training
Source: Xinhua
Date: April 03, 2015
The PLA asked Party departments to play a bigger role in improving combat capacity, a document published by the PLA General Political Department said.
CPC organs attached to the PLA have various missions ranging from ideological education, human resource management to discipline work.
They should work to 'forge the soul' of the armed forces and train "a new generation of servicemen with soul, skill, personality and integrity", said the document which was reported on Friday's edition of PLA Daily.
The promotion and assessment of officers and soldiers should also reflect that priority so that servicemen will be encouraged to improve their own skills and capable ones will be promoted, it said.

Navy to get 3 new nuclear subs
Source: China Daily
Date: April 3, 2015
Three cutting-edge nuclear-powered attack submarines have been manufactured and will soon be commissioned by the Chinese navy, according to media reports.
China Central Television showed a satellite picture earlier this week of three submarines anchored at an unidentified port, saying the vessels are China's most advanced Type-093G nuclear-powered attack submarines, just completed by a Chinese shipyard and a waiting delivery.
With a teardrop hull, the submarine is longer than its predecessor, the Type-093, and has a vertical launching system, the report said.
Another article carried by the PLA navy's website said the Type-093G's wing-shaped cross-section is designed to improve speed and mobility as well as reduce noise, and that the vertical launcher is capable of delivering the country's latest YJ-18 supersonic anti-ship missile.

PLA chief of general staff meets with Myanmar military delegation
Source: China Military Online
Date: April 3, 2015
General Fang Fenghui, chief of general staff of the Chinese PLA met with Lt-Gen. Aung Than Htut, chief of the Second Bureau of Special Operation (BSO2) of Myanmar Army, in Beijing on April 2, 2015. Aung Than Htut came to China together with Myanmar Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin, who is paying a visit to China as Myanmar President U Thein Sein's special envoy.
Appointed by Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar Defense Services Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, Aung Than Htut is making a special trip to China to apologize to the Chinese military over a Myanmar warplane bombing that killed five Chinese in China's Yunnan Province on March 13.
Aung Than Htut will also hold consultations with the Chinese military on the disposal of following related issues of the bombing incident.
Fang Fenghui spoke highly of Aung Than Htut 's China visit by saying that it indicates that Myanmar side attaches importance to the bilateral state and military relations between the two countries and it also shows the sincerity of the Myanmar side to deal with the incident in a proper way.

Four more PLA weapons to worry the US Navy: report
Source: Want China Times
Date: April 7, 2015
The website of the US-based National Interest magazine published an article on April 4 laying out four more Chinese weapons that the US Navy should be concerned about, following a previous piece published in March detailing three weapons.
The three weapons listed in March were the DF-21D "carrier killer" anti-ship missile, combined missile strikes and sea mines.
The first weapon mentioned in the April piece, penned by freelance defense-aerospace reporter and consultant Dave Majumdar, was the J-20 fighter. The fighter, developed in Chengdu, is China's first attempt at building a fifth generation stealth fighter and could challenge US control over Pacific airspace, the article said. Although many details about this new fighter are unclear, the little that has been revealed so far may concern the US Navy, the piece stated.
Here are the 4 Chinese weapons

WeChat group chats of PLA soldiers and spouses infiltrated
Source: Want China Times
Date: April 7, 2015
The WeChat group chats used by Chinese soldiers and their wives have become the targets of spies seeking information on the PLA's operation and locations, reports Duowei News, a news outlet operated by overseas Chinese.
The group chats were created as a means for soldiers and their spouses to exchange information. Posts in the chat are usually about trivial things such as "I heard the army is going to XX for an exercise. The weather usually turns cold at this time of the year so I will pack some sweaters and thick pants for my husbands" and "It is about half a month before the peacekeeping team leaves. Have you packed for your husbands? Show us what you packed."
The posts however inadvertently reveal information regarding the military's conditions and times and locations of exercises.

China's peacekeeping troops leaves for South Sudan
Source: CRI Online
Date: April 8, 2015
An additional 130 Chinese peacekeeers are due to join a United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan later on this Wednesday.
The troops from the Jinan Military Command Area in Shandong are set to join 570 of their colleagues who are already stationed there.
"On top of our regular small arms, we are also equipped with light machine guns. This weapon is not only light and portable, but it also has a clip which can carry 50 rounds. The weapon has a relatively fast rate of fire. This has filled the gap between pistols and rifles."
Among the new group of Chinese peace-keepers are 13 female soldiers, representing China's first female light infantry squad taking part in a peacekeeping mission abroad.

Howitzer troops in night training
Source: China Military Online
Date: April 8, 2015
A soldier of a howitzer battalion is preparing for a firing training. A howitzer battalion of an artillery regiment under the Tibet Military Command (MC) of the Chinese PLA organized its troops to conduct training on the late night of April 1, 2015.

PLA weaponry procurement costs "significantly" less
Source: Xinhua
Date: April 9, 2015
Five bidders, both military and civilian, won the first open tender for 2015 organized by the PLA for weaponry purchase.
The process was concluded, and the total purchase price was 'significantly below' the budgets in previous years, according to a statement by the PLA general armament department.
This is the first time that weain.mil.cn, the PLA military weapon procurement website, has been used for open, competitive bidding.
The items released for tender, valued at around 90 million yuan (14.5 million U.S. dollars), fell into eight categories including supply containers, protective masks, weapon kits and lighting equipment.

Birth of truly global Chinese navy
Source: China Daily
Date: April 10, 2105
It is not difficult to imagine the tremendous relief of the Chinese workers when they got on board the two Chinese frigates that rescued them from war-torn Yemen. The rescue was just a fresh example of the increasingly sophisticated operations of the PLAN in the Indian Ocean.
Apart from its primary mission of fighting pirates, Chinese ships have escorted vessels loaded with chemical weapons out of Syria and helped provide fresh water to people in the Maldives. A submarine joined the Chinese task force in September 2014, and the Chinese hospital ship Ark Peace sailed along the east coast of Africa to provide medical treatment to African people.
Thanks to concerted international efforts, piracy in the Gulf of Aden has been curbed. But it has not been eradicated. Besides, piracy in the Strait of Malacca, once curbed by the littoral states, is rising again.
The proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and China-Bangladesh-Myanmar-India Economic Corridor, two mega-projects of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, will be close to the rim of the Indian Ocean.
Chinese gas and oil pipelines pass through Myanmar's west coast to China's hinterland, and many Chinese nationals work in the littoral states.

Some Staff Visited Tibet Military History Museum
Source: VTIBET.com
Date: April 10, 2015
Staff members from Tibet National Defense Education Office and Tibet People’s Broadcasting Station visited Tibet Military History Museum on April 9.

Chinese defense minister meets with Indian defense secretary
Source: China Military Online
Date: April 10, 2015
Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan met with Indian Defense Secretary Shri R.K. Mathur, who came to China for attending the 7th China-India Defense and Security Consultation in Beijing on April 10.
China is committed to pushing forward the bilateral strategic partnership between the two countries and the Sino-Indian relations have basically remained a good momentum of development in recent years, Chang said.
The militaries of the two countries are expected to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, control divergence in a proper way, strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen pragmatic cooperation and make contributions to safeguarding the regional and world peace and stability, Chang added.
Mathur said that good relations between India and China have great influence on the prosperity and development of the two nations and even the whole world. He pointed out that the bilateral ties between the two nations rest on the relations between the two militaries as well as the peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas.

Development of PLA's battlefield rations
Source: China Military Online
Date: April 10, 2015
During the [Korean] war, the officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) mainly ate simple solid foods including fried rice, parched flour and fried bean.
After that, the logistic supply departments produced a batch of compressed biscuits so as to provide better food support for CPV's tactical operations, forming the earliest prototype of the PLA's standard military rations.
The PLA's first-generation military rations in the real sense appeared in 1970s.
At that time, the military rations consisted of three staple foods, namely the No. 761 compressed solid food, dehydrated steamed rice and dehydrated noodle, and three auxiliary foods, namely three kinds of canned foods.
The No. 761 compressed solid food was the PLA's first-generation standard personal combat rations. And the PLA soldiers depended on the 761 compressed solid food for energy supplement during a self-defense war in 1979.

China's army warns corrupt officials are 'keeping it in the family'
Source: South China Morning Post
Date: April 13, 2015
The Chinese military's newspaper has warned officials against enlisting family members in corrupt practices, amid heightening speculation a former top figure in the PLA has been caught up in the anti-graft drive.
A commentary in the PLA Daily said officials should not abuse their power to fulfill their family's needs, and urged them to teach their children proper moral values.
"It is reasonable for cadres and leaders to take care of their families and help their families, but family needs should not override moral principles," the commentary said.
It warned that those who violated moral principles would "lose all their political standing and reputation, and their family fortune".
It said that many family members of those officials already caught up in the anti-corruption drive had also been implicated in corrupt practices.
In March, the PLA announced investigations into 14 senior officials, including Guo's son Guo Zhenggang.

J-20 to sacrifice attacking power and range for stealth
Source: Want China Times
Date: April, 13, 2015
China's J-20 fifth-generation fighter will likely sacrifice its attacking power and range for added stealth capability, reports the website of China's state newswire Xinhua.
PLA Rear Admiral Yin Zhou said the J-20, currently being developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, will install its weapons on the inside of the aircraft to increase stealth, much like the US F-22.
The downside of this decision, Yin said, is that the length and diameter of the J-20's weapons could face restrictions, which could affect the range of its missiles.
However, Yin believes this is not a significant concern given that the main purpose of the J-20 is to seize control of airspace and protect other powerful but non-stealth attacking aircraft from the enemy.

China can fight modern war for 4 reasons
China Military Online
Date: April 13, 2015
Perhaps the biggest question about China’s rise is whether it will inevitably lead to a military conflict with other powers, particularly the existing superpower, the United States.
It is undoubtedly true that no one wants to see a general war between China and the U.S., though in reality both countries might be dragged into a war that they do not want to fight in areas like the East China Sea. If that happens, many analysts believe that the PLA does not stand a chance against the mighty U.S. military for a series of reasons, ranging from poor training to lack of war experience.
Such an estimate might be true, but it might also truly underestimate the fighting power of the PLA, thus contributing to misjudgment and poor policy-making overall. Thus, accurately assessing the power of the PLA is a critical part of any serious military planning by the U.S. and other countries.

This factor has not been given adequate attention by military analysts when estimating the PLA’s ability to fight a war. If the PLA does enter a war, then it most likely will be a defensive war for China in areas near its borders. This is about defending China’s sovereignty and territories and this is fundamentally different from conquering others’ territories. Thus morale will be high. If history is any indication, the Korean War tells us that the weaker Chinese army could repel and defeat a stronger U.S. army. The fact that China then was fighting for its sovereign integrity is a key factor in explaining the defeat of the United States.

Chinese arms production to partially open to the market
Source: ECNS.CN
Date: April 13, 2015
The Chinese government will open part of its weapons research and manufacturing to the marketplace, including military technology transformation and industrialization development, to promote industry resource sharing, The Beijing Times reported.
The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense has issued a document on the transformation of Chinese weapons manufacturing. It stipulates that authorities will encourage the transfer of intellectual property rights related to the science and technology of the national defense industry and promote scientific achievements.
Priority has also been given to the nuclear fuel cycle industry.

Snapshots of China-Sri Lanka Silk Road Cooperation-2015 joint drill
Source: China Military Online
Date: April 14, 2014
The Chinese PAPF and the Sri Lankan Army kicked off a joint drill codenamed "Silk Road Cooperation-2015" in a comprehensive military training base under the Guangdong Contingent of the Chinese APF on March 29, 2015. The contents of the joint drill mainly focus on anti-terrorist skills and tactical trainings. Retired military officials lose undeserved benefits
Source: ECNS.CN
Date: April 14, 2014
The Beijing Military Area Command has taken back all undeserved housing and public cars used by retired former military officials, according to relevant rules, and also addressed overstaffing at regimental level, the PLA Daily reported on Monday.
The PLA and the PAPF are pushing ahead with the special cleanup campaign as required by military authorities.
Last July, officials published a notice with regard to undeserved housing and public car use by retired former military personnel, ordering a complete removal of such benefits.
For those who refuse to return their undeserved housing, a rent equitable to the highest market price for the same location will be collected by being withheld directly from their monthly pay and all services and benefits they enjoy will also be halted, according to the notice.

PLA commissar says lax discipline at top invites disaster
Source: South China Morning Post
Date: April 13, 2015
Failure to strictly discipline generals would bring 'endless disasters' to the army, a Communist Party newspaper quoted the political commissar of the Lanzhou military command as saying, amid renewed speculation over the fate of retired military chief Guo Boxiong.
Asked by People's Daily how the PLA's Lanzhou Military Area Command - Guo's former power base - had beefed up its discipline after recent graft cases, Lieutenant General Liu Lei said such cases had underscored a perception that some leading generals felt they were above the law.
"The key to governing a country is to manage its officials, just as the key to governing an army is to manage the generals. Being lax in administering officials would bring endless disasters," Liu told the newspaper, which is seen as a mouthpiece for the party.
"For a general to manage his men, he has to manage himself well first."
The comments are likely to fuel speculation over the fate of Guo, whose son Guo Zhenggang was among 16 major generals snared this year in President Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption in the military.

Photos of 10-day-old infant in military uniform
Source: People's Daily Online
Date: April 15, 2015
A boarder guard officer in Tibet takes a series of photos for his newly born son before he goes back to the army. His son, just 10 days old, was dressed in the mini military uniforms, presenting the touching love between father and son

New generation of PLA soldiers in cartoons
Source: People's Daily Online
Date: April 15, 2015
A series of cartoons featuring the new generation of PLA soldiers are released recently by China Military Online.

New rules to shine PLA top brass
Source: Xinhua
Date: April 15, 2015
With new standards for recruiting Party members, China is trying to clean up its armed forces, following the exposure of corruption in the PLA.
The PLA general political department in earlier this week published new rules on recruiting CPC members, giving political standards top priority. The number of CPC members in the military will be kept under strict control and their personal qualities carefully scrutinized.
The image of Chinese army has been seriously damaged by corruption and many generals have fallen from grace. Earlier this year, it was revealed that 30 generals were being investigated or had been convicted.
Late last year, CMC Chairman Xi Jinping convened a meeting of top generals in an old revolutionary base in southeast China's Fujian Province, where the army's political system was formally established in 1929. The meeting laid out a new strategy for the political work of the PLA.
The more modernized and normalized the armed forces become, the more they must be institutionalized. As China experiments with the rule of law, governing the army with rules is imperative.

PLA to buy advanced missiles from Russia
Source: China Daily
Date: April 17, 2015
The deployment of the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system will substantially improve China's air defense capability, military experts said as Russian media reported that China has bought the cutting-edge weapon.
"The S-400 is definitely one of the top anti-aircraft weapons in the world. It will greatly supplement the PLA's air defense system, which now has some loopholes in long-range, high-altitude defense of airplanes or ballistic missiles," said Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine.
"The system has multiple types of missiles with various ranges, enabling it to safeguard a very large area of airspace. Some of its missiles are even specifically designed to intercept ballistic missiles," Wang said. "Moreover, some of its launch tubes can store and launch several different missiles, which makes it very convenient and fast to use."
Russia has a long history of developing anti-aircraft and missile defense weapons, so the S-400 is a concentration of some of the most advanced missile technologies Russia has, such as an active electronically scanned array radar, according to Wang.

China stresses discipline for CPC members in military
Source: Xinhua
Date: April 16, 2015
The CMC issued a circular requiring efforts to strictly discipline CPC members in the army.
The document, which has been approved by Chinese President and CMC Chairman Xi Jinping.
The circular called on CPC members in the army to strictly follow the Party's instructions in their practices and maintain firm and correct political faith. "Political liberalism must be prevented and corrected and the organizational rules of the Party must be strictly observed," it said.
The document said problems with personnel affairs in the army should be redressed and discipline rules regarding financial matters must be abided by stringently.
The campaign to fight undesirable work styles should be carried forward, it said.

China 'decides to investigate' retired general Guo Boxiong
Source: South China Morning Post
Date: April 20, 2015
Beijing has decided to launch an investigation into retired military chief Guo Boxiong and has briefed serving top brass on the general's alleged problems, two independent sources close to senior military officials said.
Speculation over Guo intensified early last month after his son, Major General Guo Zhenggang, was detained in a graft probe, amid President Xi Jinping's high-profile crackdown on corruption in the PLA.
If pursued, Guo, formerly a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, would be the second top officer from former president Hu Jintao's administration to fall.
One of the sources told the South China Morning Post that leaders of the PLA's seven key military area commands were ordered to attend an ideological workshop in Beijing on April 9, with an internal document saying the CMC and the army's anti-graft watchdog had decided to investigate Guo and his family.
"The large military area commands' two top leaders - commanders and political commissars - were requested to take part in the meeting," the source said.

PLA General Political Department to Develop Team of Cadres with Absolute Loyalty to the Party
Source: Xinhua
Date: April 19, 2015
Xinhua published an article which reported that Xi Jinping, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, approved a notice that the PLA General Political Department issued on April 19. The title of the notice was, “Opinion to Develop a Political Team of Cadres That Will Demonstrate Absolute Loyalty to the Party, Has a Strong Capability to Fight in Wars, and Displays a Good Work Style and Image.”
According to Xinhua, the Opinion directed that all levels in the political department within the PLA should focus on “strengthening the ideology work to build a strong Party spirit; strictly abide by the political rules and requirements; display devotion to the Party; and ensure absolute obedience to the Party Central Committee's directions, to the PLA General Political Department, and to Chairman Xi.”

S-400 Strengthens China's Hand in the Skies
Source: Want China Times
Date: April 20, 2015
A deal between Russia and China for procurement of the new S-400 air defense system will serve as a force multiplier for Beijing in its quest to dominate the skies along its borders, experts said.
The 400-kilometer-range system will, for the first time, allow China to strike any aerial target on the island of Taiwan, in addition to reaching air targets as far as New Delhi, Calcutta, Hanoi and Seoul. The Yellow Sea and China's new air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea will also be protected. The system will permit China, if need be, to strike any air target within North Korea.
The S-400 will also allow China to extend, but not dominate, the air defense space closer to the disputed Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, said Vasiliy Kashin, a China defense specialist at the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Moscow. China refers to the islands as the Diaoyu, and tensions between Beijing and Japan have been increasing for several years as China continues to claim the islands.

Changsha research team develops brain-controlled robot
Source: Want China Times
Date: April 20, 2015
A Chinese research team has developed a robot whose movements can be controlled by the human brain, reports the Chinese-language Changsha Evening News.
The award-winning team of researchers at the National University of Defense Technology in Changsha, the capital of south-central China's Hunan province, recently tested the self-made brain-controlled robot, which was able to move forward and backwards and make flexible turns with its body through brainwaves sent from an electrode cap worn by the controller.
According to Jiang Jun, a doctoral student on the team, the cap strengthens weak brainwaves before sending them back to their computers, which effectively reads the mind of the controller from the brainwave signals.
The experiment has been compared to the technology in the 2009 film Avatar, in which a paraplegic marine was able to control an alien avatar body with his brain.

China, Pakistan to deepen military cooperation
Source: Xinhua
Date: April 21, 2015
China and Pakistan should deepen and broaden military cooperation in such fields as joint exercise and training, so as to enrich the strategic cooperation between the two countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said.
The visiting Chinese president made the remarks in his meeting with Pakistani Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Rashad Mahmood, and the chiefs of the army, navy and air forces of the South Asian country.
Hailing the important role the Pakistani military has played in the development of China-Pakistan relations, Xi said that the understanding and support of the Pakistani military is necessary for the two countries to forge a community of shared destiny.

Aviation regiment conducts air-to-ground live-fire drill
Source: China Military Online
Date: April 21, 2015
A fighter jet fires air-to-surface missiles at ground targets. An aviation regiment under the air force of the PLA Lanzhou MAC carried out an air-to-ground live-fire drill at a high-altitude firing range on April 17, aiming to enhance its pilots' combat skills.

Aviation troops conduct air-to-air confrontation drill
Source: China Military Online
Date: April 22, 2015
The crew member and pilot prepare for an air-to-air confrontation drill. Aviation troops from the air force of the PLA Chengdu MAC carried out a realistic air-to-air confrontation drill on April 21, 2015. During the drill, several J-10 and J-11 fighter jets conducted such air-to-air confrontation subjects as electromagnetic interference and dogfight, etc.

Beijing eyes bigger arms exports, experts say
Source: South China Morning Post
Date: April 26, 2015
Vows by China and Pakistan to deepen security and defence ties will reinforce Beijing's ambitions to increase its arms exports, which could create unease among some countries in the region, especially India, security experts say.
President Xi Jinping made his first state visit to Pakistan last week and met Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, with the sides agreeing to boost their partnership to 'all-weather levels'.
The two nations also decided to step up dialogue between their armed forces, and expand cooperation in defence technology and production.
Three weeks before Xi departed for the trip, Sharif approved a US$5 billion deal to buy eight submarines from China, Reuters reported, quoting an unnamed Pakistani government official as saying, but added the deal had not been finalised. It would be China's largest single sale of submarines, experts say.
The deal would likely encourage Beijing to expand arms exports, said Mathieu Duchatel, head of the China and Global Security Project at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which tracks global military spending and arms sales.

Su-27 fighter jets in confrontation training
Source: China Military Online
Date: April 28, 2015
A Su-27 fighter jet takes off for confrontation training. An aviation regiment under the air force of the PLA Lanzhou Military Area Command organized its Su-27 fighter jets to conduct confrontation training at a military airport on the snow-covered plateau, April 26, aiming to enhance its pilots' combat capabilities under complex weather conditions.

China's rescue materials arrive in Nepal
Source: Xinhua
Source: April 28, 2015
Photo taken on April 28, 2015 shows a plane carrying members of Chinese PLA Air Force arrive in Nepal to provide aid following the recent earthquake, at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

Frontier soldiers repair communication equipment for emergency use
Source: People's Daily Online
Date: April 29, 2015
A
frontier soldier dismantles satellite phone antenna for emergency
communication use on the roof of a damaged building of the frontier
inspection station of Gyirong County in Xigaze City, southwest China's
Tibet Autonomous Region, April 27, 2015. A 7.9-magnitude quake shook
Nepal at 2:11 p.m. (Beijing Time) killing at least 4,555 people. The
quake also strongly affected Kyirong County in Shigatse City, adjacent
to Nepal.